Entrepreneurs wanted, open house set to welcome incoming store manager

Some young entrepreneurs left two notes on the store on Wednesday, to advertise their pet sitting services.

Are you an entrepreneur yourself? We, at Prairie Chic, are looking for people who are looking to sell their handmade items on consignment! We have wall space available for rent starting at $25 per quarter, with a 10% consignment percentage, or no rent for selling items on consignment on our open floor space, starting at 35% consignment for items $50.00 or more. You can find more details on our More about the store tab here. Speaking of consignment items, here are some examples of handmade items we have previously sold on consignment from inside our store.

 

Also, the staff and owners at Prairie Chic have announced an open house set to meet McKenzie Schultz, our new store manager, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, June 20. Come on by and say goodbye to outgoing store manager Stephanie Gilbert and welcome McKenzie to the store.

We are Prairie Chic Handcrafts and Antiques at 9 S. Broadway Herington, KS. We also have climate-controlled indoor storage units on a monthly basis, also. We have 10' x 10' for $100 a month or 5' x 7' for $50 a month, plus a $20 one-time administration fee to start your lease.
We're open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday though Saturday and by appointment Sunday through Tuesday. To see some of the items we now have for sale, please view the our Facebook  album here. If you have any other questions or prefer to call with your questions, please contact our store at (785) 258-8004 or the store manager at PrairieChicKansas@gmail.com or (785) 571-3955!

Read our Consignors Corner -- Concolleen's Visions

Here is the full view of Concolleen's Visions
rented space at Prairie Chic!

Welcome to the first installment of a special promotion for our vendors and consignors at Prairie Chic. This one is about Concolleen's Visions, a woman who takes photos of the Tri-County region, especially near Ramona and the Herington lakes area. Here is some information and insight about this vendor.

Consignors Corner: Concolleen's Visions

Here are some extra pictures shared by
Concolleen's Visions in her rented space.

• Products include: Local photography and memories on canvas, general occasion cards
• Lease signed with Prairie Chic: May 7, 2015
• Length of experience with photography: 25+ years
• More about my experience:  I have lived in Ramona for 36 years. I just can't miss an opportunity to go out and share what the beauty is in this area with other people. I think it's my calling because it just happened. It started with a man who wanted me to come take pictures on his homestead west of Ramona before the county made him clear the land. I just took pictures of what I saw and I didn't know what I was doing, but it turned out that he was very grateful for what I did for him, to document his history of his homestead.
• Something about the consignment experience that might surprise our customers: While I was setting up my booth space, there were some customers who came in and talked to me. They had seen my pictures on the internet and on Facebook, but they never realized what was behind them or what they were about, besides just being neat pictures. They didn't realize the pictures were taken in local locations. I also explained to them that I see things that other people don't appreciate or stop and look at even though they pass by them on a daily basis. Each view is a gift and you will never see it exactly the same way again. Every picture has a feeling and a memory attached to it. My photos are memory makers, really, for a lot of the people who have moved away from the rural areas. My Visions can take them down Memory Lane and they share that with me. I'm just surprised that people are willing to share that with me.
• Anything else to add: At Prairie Chic, I am just pleased that it has done as well as it has and that it has to be a long-term business. If you weren't doing a good job, you wouldn't have made it a year, so that's what kind of got me to where I put my Visions in there. I like the differences and different items in there. I love Stephanie's advertising and how she reaches out and pulls people in with what you've got in the store. I love it, I really do. That is marketing and it's subtle marketing that reaches to those who didn't know they were looking for something! I like that better than a big ad. I like what you do. I hope the next person has a similar vision and can work out of the perpetual square, so to speak.

This is what the space started with, on May 7.

Here is a close up view of Concolleen's Visions
on the wall space rented for these photographs.

Here's a front view of the space rented for Concollen's Visions.

4th Annual Throttle Jockeys Car Show now underway; drags to come at 2 p.m.

Come on, come all and visit Herington for our 4th Annual Throttle Jockeys Car Club Car Show!
Here is the view in front of our store, just after 8:30 this morning. The store is open here now and for our regular hours until 6 p.m.

We also have a vendor out in front of our store selling automobile items to those visiting town for the event!

Here are some more photos of cars lining up along Broadway Street, just in front of Prairie Chic, in downtown Herington. Follow the traffic to get to the 4th Annual Throttle Jockeys Car Show downtown, with Drag Races to follow from 2-6 p.m. at the Herington Regional Airport!

Come in and see us in downtown Herington! We are here at Prairie Chic until 6 p.m. today! Text or call us at 785-571-3955 if you need any information about the event or the store. 

Hold policy shared, Market Day reminder for city shops

Did you know that if you see an item for sale here on our blog or in our Facebook album here, we have a 24-hour hold policy to allow you to come see it for yourself. Feel free to inquire about something you are seeking but that you do not see pictured. We're happy to help you try to find it!! You can reach us at PrairieChicKansas@gmail.com or (785) 571-3955. Here are some items we now have on hold inside our store, as of Jan. 30.

And, don't forget that we are holding our next Market Day from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. this Sunday. In addition to our store, you can also shop at Broadway Bargains across the street, Big MACs half a block south, and Miss Lizzy's half a block north. Market Day items for sale inside Prairie Chic will include many types of miscellaneous items, including decorative plates, nick knacks, doilies, Desert Storm handkerchiefs, advertisement buttons and pens, another vendor selling homemade soap scrubs, bath salt, body butter etc., bracelets made from belts, bottle art, and many others!
Are you interested in selling items inside Prairie Chic? We have a special event rental rates are of $2 per square foot when reserved prior to the show or $3 per square foot otherwise. You set up your own items on your own table, and pay according to the size. You sell your items on a "cash and carry" basis, so you tend your own sales and no credit cards nor collections will be taken by our staff. To sign up, just let me know if you're in for this event, or contact me at (785) 571-3955 any time, or PrairieChicKansas@gmail.com any time. 

For more about our store, see the More about our Store tab here.  To see some of the items we now have for sale, please view the our Facebook  album here. We also have a Pinterest page if you'd like to check that out. If you have any other questions or prefer to call with your questions, please contact our store at (785) 258-8004 or the store manager, Stephanie Gilbert, at PrairieChicKansas@gmail.com or (785) 571-3955!

Speaking of other items we have for sale on our open sales floor, here are some updated photos of items we have for sale in our new layout.

 

Don't forget that besides items for sale, we are still looking for vintage, antique or quality used items to sell on commission for you. Or if you would rather store an item instead, we do offer climate-controlled indoor storage units on a monthly basis. We have 10' x 10' for $105 a month or 5' x 7' for $65 a month, plus a $20 one-time administration fee to start your lease. We can help you, no matter what your need is!
We're open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.  Wednesdays though Saturdays, and by appointment otherwise. 

Keep in mind that Herington has FIVE stores (depending on the day) that carry antiques, household items, arts and crafted pieces and furniture pieces. We are WORTH the DRIVE for you to come see what all we have to offer in Herington, Kan.!

Illinoisan artist to showcase works at Prairie Chic on Saturday

Tienne Rei Kollars, of Herrin, Ill., is having an art show at Prairie Chic Handcrafts and Antiques store from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday.

Her artwork, which goes by Tienne Rei Art, includes fine art with a surrealist fantasy.

“Costume design is a big influence with old time art deco and art nouveau,” she said. “There is a lot of interest just because of the slight art nouveau. Some of it is more modern. Some of it is surrealistic and sometimes it’s more realistic, but there’s a stylization that comes to it.”

Kollars has twins who just started Kindergarten.Some of her complex pieces she has wanted to paint will be inspired by different places she has visited lately.

“I’ve just started a lot more complex pieces that I’ve been wanting to do, but for five years, I’ve home with kids,” Kollars said. “I’ve been doing more simple works than what I've been wanting to do because the only time I have to work is when the kids go to bed. I’ve been limited for the past five years so I’ve recently been creating things I’ve been wanting to do for some time.”

Kollars lives in southern Illinois in Herrin, which is outside Carbondale.

“My latest project has some ties to a local state park where we took the kids camping,” she said. “The views were amazing, but I’m not a landscape artist. I like these figurative pieces with crazy costume aspects, but I can still do the ladies and have different elements from the area built in to them.”

Herrin is a town of about 10,000 people, while Carbondale is much larger.

Kollars is coming to Kansas for the show and to visit her sister, Tana Davis, who lives in rural Hope. She has been to and through Kansas before, as her husband used to be a truck driver and he also worked in Emporia for awhile.

Kollars is excited about  visiting Davis to come see the sunsets.

“I’m looking forward to a huge vista,” she said. “I can see a tree line where I live right now, but the sunsets and sunrises are what I loved about living in New Mexico, where I could see for miles.”

She said Davis has told her that she has a beautiful view and can see all around the property.

“I’m looking forward to seeing that part of it,” Kollars said.

Kollars will be selling some limited edition prints at the show.

“I’m really looking forward to heading out and seeing what is there and meeting everyone,” she said. “It should be a really good weekend.”

Denise Homer, Prairie Chic store owner, said she is really excited to have a young and talented artist whose work has been shown around the Midwest  to be holding a show in the local store.

“Hopefully this will encourage the citizens of Herington and our local area to tap into their inner talents that Mark (Homer) and I know are out there,” she said. “Her sister, Tana, has shown some of the pieces that our resident artist has to offer. She will be offering classes to help encourage young and older artists to take advantage of the experience.”

Dr. Mark Homer, store owner, also hopes the art show will help encourage other entrepreneurs who can turn their artistic pieces in to a business.

“This is what we have designed for our store, to help offer space for artistic types to sell their original works or repurposed pieces, making money in a storefront business without having to man it all themselves.”

Artist with local ties coming to Prairie Chic on Oct. 18

  A Midwest artist whose sister lives outside of Hope, Kan., is coming to Prairie Chic on Oct. 18 for an art show in the store.  Tienne Rei Kollars currently lives with her family in Southern Illinois. She was married to her husband Mike on the Outer Banks of North Carolina in 2001 and hopes to eventually make a permanent move to the coast. Her sister, Tana Davis, recently moved to rural Hope and introduced Tienne's artwork to Prairie Chic.

   Tienne graduated with a Bachelors of University studies from the University of New Mexico in 2002, where she studied costume design and technical theater.  Tienne's love of costume design and ornament still play a large role in many of her designs.
After college, Tienne worked in graphic and web design, even running a web based wedding business, before finally getting back into painting in 2003.
  Tienne started out as an 'e-bay' artist but quickly realized she needed a better venue for her work. In 2005 she started to sell her paintings via local galleries and shows.  (Tienne no longer sells on e-bay unless its for a charitable auction.)

  In 2009 Tienne gave birth to two beautiful  twin boys, Hunter and Jaden. (It's very possible that Tienne may have watched waaaay to much sci fi while pregnant). Mostly self-taught in oil painting, Tienne credits her own lack of knowledge in traditional oil technique as the main reason that she developed her current style.  Regarding her lack of formal training Tienne says,
  "If I had been trained classically, I'm not sure I would have ever developed my unique style of oil painting. When it comes to art there is something to be said for not really knowing what you are doing and plowing ahead boldly anyway."

  Tienne's work has been on display at various shows and galleries including the Art Lovers Gallery in Carbondale, Ill. The Alliance Gallery in Hannibal, Mo. Blue Hill Winery in Southern Illinois, Rend Lake College in Ina, Ill., and at the Dragon Con art show in Atlanta, Ga. She has also participated in a variety of art fairs including the Wells Street Art Festival In Chicago, Art in the Park in Quincy Ill, and Cedarhurst arts and crafts fair in Mount Vernon, Ill. Having previously taught oil painting through John A. Logan colleges, Department of Continueing Ed, Tienne currently teaches private art lessons.  She is also available for demonstrations and lectures.
  Examples of Tienne's works are shown here. So, mark your calendars for the Oct. 18 event, and more details will come as the event gets closer!

Inaugural Recycled Robots Art Competition planned Sept. 20

The Prairie Chic Handcrafts & Antiques store is having our inaugural Recycled Robots Art Competition for area residents! The event is planned to start at 10 a.m. Sept. 20 here at our store (9 S. Broadway St., Herington, KS 67449). But, before then, we need everyone to bring in their clean, unwanted computer junk to donate toward this event -- (only the first 10 monitors will be accepted). Our competitors are welcome to bring anything else to help hold it together. The competition is based on looks, but extra points will be given if the piece actually works as a robot. This is open to regional middle school students, high school students and adults. The winner will receive $100 and the piece will be displayed in the store for 30 days. The goal of the event is to stimulate latent artistic juices of area residents. For more information, call the store at 785-258-8004.

Come on in and consign your furniture here, or check out our other vendor booths with vintage and handmade items while you are here, or consider us if you need climate-controlled indoor storage units on a monthly basis, also. If you have items that you are not interested in selling, but need more space in your home, we offer climate-controlled indoor storage units on a monthly basis, also. We have 10' x 10' for $105 a month or 5' x 7' for $65 a month, plus a $20 one-time administration fee to start your lease.

Our regular store hours are Wednesday though Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The store is located at 9 S. Broadway St., Herington, Kan.

For more about our store, see the More about our Store tab here. To see some of the items we now have for sale, please view the our Facebook  album here. We also have a Pinterest page if you'd like to check that out. If you have any other questions, please contact our store at (785) 258-8004 or the store manager, Stephanie Gilbert, atPrairieChicKansas@gmail.com or (785) 571-3955!

Come meet Mark and Denise Homer today at Prairie Chic

Come in and shop at Prairie Chic Handcrafts and Antiques store today, Thursday or Saturday and meet our store owners Mark and Denise Homer! They are visiting Herington from their home in San Antonio this weekend. So please come in and bring in your questions about antiques, handcrafted items, quality used furniture, etc. We are open each day from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. 

For more about our store, see the Facebook album here or the More about the Store tab here. If you have any other questions or prefer to call with your questions, please contact our store at (785) 258-8004 or the store manager, Stephanie Gilbert, at PrairieChicKansas@gmail.com or (785) 571-3955!

First vendor sets up shop, more booth spaces coming along!

We have our first booth already set up and ready for our grand opening on Friday! We had several people come in and look at both space sizes to get an idea of the size they may need for their use.  

 

First booth set up by a Hope woman

Our booth spaces are now coming along, after some late evening work last night. The first space, which is a 6' space is already reserved. You can see the 2' end cap also on the very right end of the wall.

As you can see, each aisle has one 6' space, then four 4' spaces, followed by an 8' space on the end. The wall is 7' tall, with a 4' divider in between the smaller booths. An electrical outlet is included in each space, for lighting. However, we do require our vendors to use energy efficient bulbs. (Read more on the Tab above.)

It may not look pretty, but here is the first aisle of our booth spaces, showing the booths on both sides. We also offer wall space (shown in the back) for items that don't need much depth. Those spaces are 12" deep, while the booth spaces shown in the foreground are 30" deep. We also offer back wall space, which is 4' in depth, and $15 per square foot, in 4' or 6' or larger sizes.

We have two full walls put up, but we will eventually have six in place. Each booth space will have four shelves available for vendors to use, and we also have pegboard hangers for $.25 each. We have many lengths and sizes of hooks. The space comes open for you to design and create however you would like to arrange your own items.

The store first opens for business on Friday at 10 a.m. We are open Saturday and also Sunday, due to the Crossroads Trading Post coming to town. Our regular store hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays.

In closing, thank you so much for our 2,800 page views as of today! We appreciate your readership and look forward to sharing more about the store as we begin our business hours on Friday.


Any handmade crafters who would like to become a vendor and area residents who would like to sell antique or quality used furniture items in the store can stop in at 9 S. Broadway St., Herington, or contact Stephanie Gilbert, store manager, at PrairieChicKansas@gmail.com.

Artists who repurpose wood pieces can sell their works

Artists can use wood to repurpose a discarded door, a disastrous dresser, a nuisance nightstand, a bulging bookshelf, or any other worn out wood pieces into something new. Someone with an imaginative mind can see potential in something that others may consider as rustic recycling material. Someone who has some crazy carpentry skills could imagine something similar to these examples:



These aren't the types of pieces that will be found in a metropolitan mall, but they are just the types of work that we are looking to help you sell. They are the types of items that will give the Prairie Chic store its unique offerings. Would you want to create a work of art or other repurposed creation that you could sell? If you have items like these, or any others made out of mangled metal or broken brick or other past prize pieces, and you would like to sell them in our store, contact Stephanie Gilbert, store manager, at PrairieChicKansas@gmail.com.

For more information about the store, visit the More about the Prairie Chic store Tab above.

Work now well underway inside Prairie Chic store

Mark and Denise Homer, business owners, and Stephanie Gilbert, store manager, had very productive workdays on Thursday and Saturday to get things done inside the new store.

Work done inside included Denise painting the store sign, many people moving items off the main floor (for possible future floor work), Mark and Stephanie painting the walls, several contractors relocating peg board sections, several people sweeping the floor, and contractors removing signs left in place from the former RHV store.

The sofa and love seat set that had been inside the Prairie Chic store has now been moved to bridal and groom rooms inside the St. Mark's Wedding Chapel.

One repurposed glass case from the old Kay's Pharmacy store is now located in the store, with two more cases planned to follow. The idea of repurposed items is spot on with what the store represents to the Tri-County area, so it's very fitting that the Homers have purchased local used items to put inside the store.

Related to the church, area businesses will be contacted to see if they would like to offer services as approved vendors for wedding services. We can offer vendor space to showcase what these vendors have to offer -- you guessed it, in the Prairie Chic store.

Several local contractors are being used for work on the store. Entrepreneurs are encouraged to think of ways they can spur a new business in town by offering services, at a cost, or selling items, or especially creating items that can be sold inside the Prairie Chic store. Handmade items can be artistic in nature, made of wood, metal, leather, fabric, etc.!

Any handmade crafters who would like to become a vendor and area residents who would like to sell antique or quality used furniture items in the store can contact Stephanie Gilbert, store manager, at PrairieChicKansas@gmail.com
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As always, more later!